A little while someone mentioned on a forum here (maybe it was a little off topic as I have searched and can't find it) that the serial number of their Press Graflex was hiding somewhere. I have the same problem, having virtually disassembled the camera trying to find it. Can't see it behind the hood, on the hood frame, inside the back or inside the front.

If anyone has another 'secret spot' or if the original poster found his serial number somewhere can you please let me know!

You may need to remove the view hood and ground glass and check the lip of the opening or inside the box. A recent post on Photo.net had a mid 1920's RB Auto's serial number on the bed. It may be on the inside of the front standard behind the lens board. It will be embossed into the wood or ink stamped._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

There's no code. There is, however, an unofficial Graflex serial number book. According to it the block of serial numbers 173570- 173819, for 250 4x5 RB Ser. Ds, was assigned June 17, 1930. The next block of 4x5 RB Ser. D serial numbers was assigned Feb 16, 1931.

There's no guarantee that all of the numbers in a block were used, but in this case odds are the camera was made between the two dates above.

Until the very late 1940s, it seems that Graflex and predecessors assigned serial numbers sequentially, in blocks. A pre-1950 or so s/n carries no information about which model it was assigned to.